Timepiece
by sakako
Summary: A KeixKaolla fic, commissioned by user kingdom of tom. R&R and such. Chapter 7 now up!
1. Chapter 1

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako**

_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: No, unfortunately, I don't own Love Hina, Gameboy Advance SP or any of Hirofumi Sasaki's songs, however good they may be. I do own a band though. It's called "Bok Yea". Good band._

_Kenji's ed: He doesn't actually own it at all... :D_

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**"Timepiece" Phase I: Transform! (Su POV)**

"Sorry. I make a point of never dating younger girls."

Keitaro's voice was harsh to me. I was well aware of the fact that he wouldn't go out with me, but I never expected someone as lonely as him to reject me just like that. How would I feel? He should have asked himself. But, knowing him, and knowing that he has absolutely _no_ experience with girls, younger or otherwise, it doesn't surprise me.

"Will you play with me then?"

I had to put up a façade for everyone – so that they didn't know that I was a genius. Being from Mol Mol, I can't look too smart, or our peaceful country will be invaded by those _baka _Americans or British or whatever country holds the world in check now, I don't know what – but anyway. That was that.

"Sure. What game?" His voice changed from that of a harsh ex-lover to that of a doting housekeeper after a baby. I had planned for this moment, and had built something. A surprise for my Kei-kun.

"Hide-and-seek. You _do_ know how to play, don't you?"

He laughed. And what a laugh! It resonated as the strings of our native instruments! Oh, to feel that laugh upon his shoulder as two lovers! "Yeah. I used to be the reigning champion at my old school."

"Okay, you're it! Count to a hundred, and no peeking, OK?" I ran to my room, where my device was. He'd take a while to find me in that jungle, especially if I was hiding up a tree somewhere. The gadget itself was not too big, about the size of a Gameboy Advance SP, silver, and it had a screen and three buttons.

I turned the thing on. 'Age?' greeted me.

I pressed the up button until the numbers below the query read "1 5". I pressed the circle below the triangles and another display came up.

It had a picture of the room behind the screen, and text reading 'Please center the target and press action button.'

I waited for Keitaro to come into the room. My fingers poised at the ready, I counted. _One, two, three, four, five…_ I hoped he would come here first. I thought correctly, and when I was at _sixty-three_ he slid back the door and placed his foot onto the tatami mat. He walked into view of my screen.

_Click_

The sound the device made. The three-eye logo on it blinked. I was prepared. I dropped to the floor. The last thing I heard of that manly voice was:

"Found you, Kaolla-chan!"

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**Phase I: Transform! (Kei POV)**

"Sorry. I make a point of never dating younger girls."

I can't believe Kaolla-chan would even _dare_ to ask such a question! It's clear that I'm at least five years older than her, and obviously she's not the promised girl, so I'm never going to go out with her. Unless, of course, somehow I go back to being 15 years old or so, and forget about that promised girl… but that's not going to happen. It's just not probable.

"Will you play with me then?"

However, she seemed to take my rejection well, so I decided to at least grant her a small favour. A game couldn't hurt. Not at all. In fact, I was up for a bit of warfare to calm me from my hard day at university.

"Sure. What game?" I replied calmly.

"Hide-and-seek. You _do_ know how to play, don't you?"

Of course, being the kind person I am, I humoured her pitiful attempt at satiric mockery, and laughed. "Yeah. I used to be the reigning champion at my old school."

"Okay, you're it! Count to a hundred, and no peeking, OK?" She ran off, and I started counting. _One, two, three, four, five…_ Of course, she didn't take a hundred seconds to run off, so when I was at _sixty-three_ I stopped counting.

"Ready or not, here I come!" My apostrophe was eminent throughout the small kitchen. I walked calmly up to her room – knowing a small girl would choose to hide there first – and what a place to hide! It was literally a _jungle_ in that room! I climbed the stairs. I took a breath at the door, ready to shout my victory cry. I opened the door.

_Click_

I saw Kaolla holding a silver device that vaguely resembled a Gameboy Advance SP.

I shouted. "Found you, Kaolla-chan!"

I realised that I was glowing brightly, and I sensed that I was shrinking.

I fainted.

hr

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(**Sakako's note**: This is a story commissioned by kingdom of tom, thanks for the idea! I would have been bored out of my wits writing another Azumanga fic, you know? Just the usual requests, R&R onegai shimasu, etc. etc. Next chapter coming soon!  



	2. Chapter 2

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako **

_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: For those of you who haven't noticed yet, the reason it's called Timepiece is because of a great song by Hirofumi Sasaki called "Timepiece phase II", featured in GuitarFreaks 11th Mix and DrumMania 10th Mix upwards. Again, I don't own this song or Love Hina, but I wish I did._

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_**"****Timepiece****"****Phase II: Regaining Consciousness (Su POV)**

My plan was complete! Keitaro awoke groggily from my bed in the far corner of my room.

"Nnnn… wha? What the hell am I doing here? What is this jungle! Wha… who are _you_? Can you get me out of here?" _Aaaaa… _That voice… So heavenly to me, at fifteen years of age… I definitely have a chance now!

I replied with an eager voice. "Hm? I think you hit your head when you fell… Here, let me take care of that for you."

"But what was I doing in this jungle?"

"_Baka_. This is a room, not a jungle. Anyway, you must have hit your head outside. I'll go and get you some lemon tea and miso soup." I remembered his favourites easily.

"A! My favourite!"

See what I mean? I walked calmly out of the room. Success! My trial is complete! Now, just you wait, Naru. _Teme._ I will get Kei-kun all to myself. It didn't take long to get the meal, but on the way:

I encountered Naru going down the stairs. She was looking for Keitaro. I said I didn't know anything.

I encountered Shinobu going through the living room. _Where's Urashima-senpai?_ She inquired of me. I said I didn't know anything.

I encountered Kitsune in the kitchen. _Ne, Su, where's Keitaro? _Again, I said I didn't know anything.

Going up the stairs I encountered Mutsumi-chan. I like Mutsumi-chan. She asked me the same question. I told her he was at the tea-house talking to Haruka-san.

Outside my room, I escaped a close encounter with Motoko-senpai. She was standing back to me, looking out the window. I quietly slid the door shut behind me.

Kei-kun. You're mine now.

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**Phase II: Regaining Consciousness (Kei POV)**

I awoke, somewhat disorientated, in a green jungle. I was lying on a futon, however, and a tanned, blonde-haired girl was standing over me.

"Nnnn… wha? What the hell am I doing here? What is this jungle! Wha… who are _you_? Can you get me out of here?" I honestly wanted to get out… even though this girl was strangely attractive… maybe I should play along with this sick joke.

She didn't take long to respond. "Hm? I think you hit your head when you fell… Here, let me take care of that for you."

That didn't answer my question. "But what was I doing in this jungle?"

"_Baka._ This is a room, not a jungle."

What? A room…

"Anyway, you must have hit your head outside."

What? Outside…

"I'll get you some lemon tea and miso soup."

"A! My favourite!"

I could get to like this smiling face, if this kept up… Not to mention the strange feeling I get when I look into her eyes… those beautiful brown eyes…

Not much happened between when she strode (rather confidently I thought) out of the room, and when she returned with a tray adorned with a lunch for me. It was a good lunch though… I might have to meet this girl again.

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(**Sakako's note**: _Arigato gozaimasu_ to all my reviewers, I think that's a new record 7 reviews in 2 days for either Kenji or myself… I'll try and update soon and often, and if you were wondering about why each chapter is quite short, here's the explanation: 

important text omitted

But seriously, a chapter in a normal book might span about two or three hours, but in this story a "Phase" might be anywhere from five to thirty minutes. So, bear with me. Also it allows me to update even quicker! d(xx)b

So, once again, R&R _onegai shimasu_, and thanks!)

(**Kenji's note: **...)


	3. Chapter 3

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako **

_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: Love Hina and Hirofumi Sasaki… what do they have in common? I don't own them…_

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_**"****Timepiece****"**** Phase III: Rejuvenation (Su POV)**

After he fully regained consciousness, I realized something extremely dangerous.

Shinobu.

She was the same age as me, and she also admired Keitaro. She was a main threat. I had to eliminate her.

But how to go about it? I had Keitaro here thinking I was a kind, sweet girl, so I couldn't let him know about Shinobu, and also a lot of people depended on her for a lot of things, such as friendship and cooking.

The main point was, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't kill her. I had to shut her up another way. But how…?

I knew what I had to do… To explain it would have been impossible for me once, but now I realize that it is quite simple in theory. I have to remove her from everyone's memory, and remove everyone from her memory. Then I had to send her away somehow.

That was it! The short details were there. However the thing was, I didn't have anything that was capable of removing people's memories, only viewing them. So, I had to get to creating and soon, before anyone notices the _mysterious_ disappearance of Kei-kun.

But before I could do that, I had to work my way around a dire situation. He wanted to know who I was. I couldn't be too sure that he wouldn't remember me and have a complete relapse. I had to be careful.

"A… excuse me…"

A! That was it! The question…

"Hm? What is it, Kei-kun?"

Shit! I slipped up… Perhaps he wouldn't notice…

"I just wanted to know what your name was, that's all."

Phew.

"Oh, it's Su. Kaolla Su."

He seemed quite calm after I told him… He didn't remember me after all.

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"Timepiece" Phase III: Rejuvenation (Kei POV)**

Oh man, that was great soup. I never knew anyone could make hot water taste so good. But I'm digressing here, and so I would like to say that this girl, whatever her name is, could well be 'the one', but I will have to keep a close eye on her because she looks a bit shifty.

As such, I must try to find out her name… Maybe she told me before… No, she didn't. How to find it, I don't know, though… Perhaps the simplest thing would be to ask her what her name was.

"A… excuse me…"

I didn't want to alarm her.

"Hm? What is it, Kei-kun?"

What! How does she know my name?

"I just wanted to know what your name was, that's all."

"Oh, it's Su. Kaolla Su."

What a beautiful name… I wonder where she's from? I'll have to find out later.

I have to admit, though, she did look like she was pondering something before… I wonder what it was… She seemed rather flustered… I wonder why? I wonder why I'm saying 'I wonder' so much…

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(**Sakako's note**: Again, _sumimasen_ for the short chapter, _gomen_ and all that, but there's a few good sides to me having short chapters; that is, quick update time usually one to two days for a new chapter, an element of frustrated suspense that is to say, "what's going to happen next"?. Yes, this is a story with many chapters. Yet I've seen books with chapters one word long. Albeit a big word, but one word nevertheless. I've just got out of a long run of essay assignments so I can write a lot more now d()b …Anyway, the next chapter of _What's What_ should be up soon… I trust Kenji is writing it even as I write. _Ja ne_ until the next chapter!) 

(**Kenji's note: **Indeed.)


	4. Chapter 4

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako**

  
_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: Yeah, just the usual… Funland is a good place to spend your Sunday afternoons… Oh yeah, I don't own Love Hina or Hirofumi Sasaki's songs._

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**"Timepiece" Phase**** IV: Popping The Question (Su POV)**

As I said before, it was clear what I had to do. After I got rid of Keitaro's questions, and he had gone to sleep, I started work on my newest invention. I took a small vermillion pot from my items cupboard (hidden inside a tree, no less), and worked into it with a silver scythe three eyes. I placed into it some unseen ingredients from the shelf above, and used a mortar to grind the powders into the red clay. I put the now-glowing pot into a small alcove in the top of the tree, and I would leave it there for another twenty hours. But first, to tend to my dear Kei-kun…

But he woke up.

I nimbly jumped up into the trees, remembering first to shut and lock the alcove door. I watched him arise, and confusedly look at his pyjamas.

Shit.

I can't believe I would do something like that. I mean, sure, I was curious. But I shouldn't have changed him. I should have left him in his previous clothes. Oh well, that's been done, so I can't change that.

He was about to walk through the door. I had to make my move _now_! I dropped down from the trees.

"Ohayo, Kei-kun!"

I still wonder to this day about what he thought of me already knowing his name…

"What is it, Kaolla-san?"

I had to take this to the next level. Soon. Now.

"Please, call me Kaolla. It would be my pleasure."

I felt my face flush. I couldn't let anyone else see this, so I checked again that my door was still shut. I could feel a red mark growing from over the bridge of my nose, spreading to under my green eyes.

"Okay, Kaolla. But anyway, what did you want?"

Crap. I had to make up an excuse quickly. Without realizing it, my right index finger started drawing circles on my left palm.

"Kaolla …"

Was this it?

"Kaolla. Will you go out with me?"

SUCCESS! I'd never been so happy in my life. I ran to him and hugged him. Perhaps I overexerted myself a little with that, but I needed to get that out. It was all that pent-up suspense of when it would be asked, and who would ask it first.

But I thought it would have been me.

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**"Timepiece" Phase** **IV: Popping The Question (Kei POV)**

Man, what a tiring day… Meeting this beautiful dark-skinned girl and her serving me my favourite meal… Also she knew my name… This is starting to sound like something out of some kind of anime… Oh well, as I say, it's been tiring, so I'll go to sleep now.

After a ten-hour crash on a green-covered futon, I awoke to find that my Kaolla-san had disappeared. I got up to find that somehow I had changed out of my clothes and into some blue cotton pyjamas that seemed just a tad too big for me… I wonder how that happened… I blushed as I thought that Kaolla could have done that… wow.

As I was walking out of the room, I heard a soft _thud_ on the sticks behind me.

"Ohayo, Kei-kun!"

I still don't realize how she knows my name… Oh well, maybe I told her before.

"What is it, Kaolla-san?"

"Please, call me Kaolla. It would be my pleasure."

She blushed at this… She's definitely coming on to me. Maybe I should make my move now?

"Okay, Kaolla. But anyway, what did you want?"

When would be the opportune moment…?

"Kaolla…"

"Kaolla. Will you go out with me?"

There. I did it. She looked happy too. She quickly rushed over to me and embraced me, rather energetically I thought. But hey, it was just a matter of time. When the question would have been asked, I didn't know. Who would have asked it first, I didn't know.

But I thought it would have been her.

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(**Sakako's note**: Yes, I know, thank you to whoever it was that reminded me that Kaolla's eyes were green not brown. I was going to try and write it from a different perspective this time, but that failed. Instead, I broke from my regular pattern of writing Kaolla's POV and then copying it into Kei's POV, changing a bit of story and a few adjectives, and this time I wrote both chapters at once. I don't know what's going on with this story, but a hint for next chapter: something interesting will happen. R&R _onegai shimasu_!) 

(**Kenji's note**: I loathe fangirl Japanese. Hahaha.)


	5. Chapter 5

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako**

_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: A downy tin nothing. Unfortunate – it or is?_

_Kenji's note: I'm not too sure what he meant by that..._

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**"Timepiece" Phase ****V: Revelations (Su POV)**

Somehow I managed to keep Kei in my room for another ten hours, so when he fell asleep again (he seemed to get exhausted rather quickly when he was sitting in the trees), I took the pot out of the alcove in the tree, and inspected it for cracks. It had to be perfect.

Without waking my boyfriend, I stepped out of the room, and began my search for Shinobu.

Walking down the corridor I noticed that the inn seemed eerily quiet, and further inspection showed the only other housemate who wasn't out was Shinobu. Perfect.

I slowly walked up behind her, and opened the glowing clay object. When I placed it on her head, she froze, and I smelt burning food. She must have been cooking takoyaki again. I kept stirring them for her while she regained consciousness. I quickly wedged the small pot inbetween the elastic of my skirt and my skin.

"Smells good! What are you making?"

Aha, I am an excellent deceiver! She didn't even notice the bulge to my side. I got a quick reply.

"Takoyaki. Want one?"

I love takoyaki. I took four. Running away quickly got me to my room, and so I placed three of the takoyaki into a heated alcove inside another tree, and ate the other. Shinobu makes really good octopus balls. I must remember to compliment her sometime. But anyway, about this pot.

This was a small red clay pot about the size of my enclosed fist, and as I said before, it was engraved with three eyes. What it was meant to do was steal particular memories. In this case I had to concentrate on my Kei-kun for a while, while the invocation took place. And so, when I placed the pot on Shinobu's head, it stole all of her memories of Keitaro. So, she has never met him before, now.

All that was left to do was introduce him to her as my boyfriend, and she would have no recollection of anything that ever happened between them.

I walked into my room to find Keitaro deep in thought.

"Want some takoyaki?"

I had, of course, to appear kind and gentle. This was all in my plan. Scary, isn't it?

"Oh man, is it good? I haven't had good takoyaki in years!"

Same as always, though, was Keitaro. Never knew what was going on. But I loved that about him.

"Sure is. Here."

I passed him the three small balls, making sure to give his hand a teasing little brush.

I was almost finished my master plan.

But there still lay the problem of the other four. Naru should have been next. But circumstances arose that led me into another bad situation… And this one couldn't be solved as easily as the one regarding Shinobu was…

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**"Timepiece" Phase ****V: Revelations** **(Kei POV)**

I decided to try and sit in the trees like this girl. However, it was harder than I expected. I could only sit up there for a few minutes, and then I needed to sleep. A lot. So, I crashed again. Not much to report, I know. However, I dreamed something very interesting:

A white cat was walking through a forest, followed by a tall girl with black hair that flowed past her waist. She seemed to want to pet it, but it kept just out of her reach. The cat led her to a school somewhere in Nagoya, I think, where she was talking with a few other girls, five or six of them. After this, they walked down a few side streets and met with an orange cat-looking thing, which led them to an enormous mansion, even bigger than where I was staying at the time. Two black-clad hooded figures glided into my peripheral vision, and I swore I could have heard them say, "Kei. Go outside."

I woke up then, to find that ten hours had passed. Jeez, I was really out of it this time.

I was disturbed from my reveille by the sliding door opening and bare feet stepping on tatami.

"Want some takoyaki?"

She really was the nicest girl in the world.

"Oh man, is it good? I haven't had good takoyaki in years!"

"Sure is. Here."

Those three round objects filled her hand, and as she gave them to me, her hand brushed against mine almost teasingly.

I looked at her, and saw just a tiny hint of cunning there. What was she up to?

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(**Sakako's note**: Wow. That was a really quick update, wasn't it guys? No time at all… That's mainly because Kenji didn't post Phase IV when he was supposed to, but oh well. That's life, isn't it? Anyway, I even noticed myself how much of a monster Kaolla is in this fic, but hey. She wants something, she builds something to get it for her. 

Next chapter: the girls return from shopping! R&R _onegai shimasu_!)


	6. Chapter 6

**TIMEPIECE**

**by Sakako**

_GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: Red Bell… Not Hirofumi or GAINAX… GuitarFreaks…_

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**"Timepiece"**** Phase VI: Stunning Dismay! (Su POV)**

Suddenly I realised, for the second time, that I had to do something about the rest of the girls coming back from shopping! They'd kill me fifteen times, then powder my bones to give as nourishment to Tama-chan! I had to hide Keitaro. So, I took him to the place I liked to go most.

We entered the small park opposite the East Hinata Bridge, and I sat down with him on a bench. The park itself was fairly ordinary, lots of trees and paths everywhere. But this was the best place for him to wait. I licked down his neck and whispered a few words unutterable to mortals, and he fell asleep. I placed a seal of invisibility on him promptly. No-one would find him here.

Why didn't I just hide him in my room? Because I had to bring him home for my cunning plan to work.

I quickly ran back to the Inn to get my memory jar, and I was just in time to see Naru opening the door, saying:

"Everyone, I'm home!"

Where were the rest of them?

I have to admit, I was getting a bit worried now. They should have all been together. What had happened?

"Naru-senpai! Where are the rest of the girls?"

Not expecting much of an answer, and getting it, Naru promptly answered my question.

"Still shopping. I came home with a present for Keitaro."

Shit. I knew, again, what I had to do.

I held the jar up to Narusegawa's face.

"Have a look at this!"

She, of course, being the naïve girl she was, peered deep into the pot, so that it was touching her face. I, of course, was concentrating on my Kei-kun. And so, that was two down, and three to go.

I did a quick search of the city, and in the same way, Konno Mitsune, Otohime Mutsumi, and Aoyama Motoko all fell prey to the pot's magic. Motoko, for one, was surprisingly easy to trick, seeing as she _did_ have previous kendo training. However, she was looking at some sort of a fluffy toy animal, so that could have had something to do with it. After tricking them, I told them that Naru and Shinobu were waiting for them at home, so they all left.

My play was nearly over.

I went back to the park bench, and, lo and behold, there was Keitaro, sleeping like a baby. He even had his thumb in his mouth. I shook him lightly, and he mumbled a word.

"Kaolla-chan."

Aww. He was dreaming about me! How sweet. He didn't know what I was doing, or going to do. I aroused him from his magical slumber, and he opened his eyes.

"Kaolla-chan. I was just thinking about you."

I know, Keitaro. I know.

I took him by the hand, and sat on his lap.

"Keitaro. I love you."

I knew it would have been me to do that first, this time.

"I love you too. Can we go back to the room now? I'm completely drained."

Poor, poor naïve Keitaro.

"Sure, but I want to introduce you to my friends first."

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**"Timepiece" Phase VI: Stunning Dismay! (Kei POV)**

My big activity today was quite a bit different from the others I'd had previously with Kaolla. She took me outside, rather quickly, and a bit rough for a girl, but oh well, at least I got to see outside of this place.

It seemed as though I was in some sort of an hostel, because when she took me out of the room, we went through many hallways and down a few flights of stairs before coming to a small living area.

However, we didn't spend much time in there, as no sooner were we in than we were out, and into the streets. I took a short look back at the building we had just left. It was indeed an hostel. It called itself the "Hinata Inn". So, would that mean that I was in Hinata? Out in the mountains? I remembered something about someone I knew living here… Oh well, it seemed as though I was there already, so I didn't worry about it too much.

We walked down through the shopping district, and I took a quick glance at the various stalls, stores and bazaars there. A lot of stuff was on offer. I would have to come back here later. Perhaps even to buy my Kaolla-chan a present.

However, we soon came to a small park, quite ordinary really. Why was it special? She led me into it and we sat down on a bench quite deep inside. She leaned over, and licked my neck. What was it she was doing? Did she want to do it here? No, it seemed. She whispered some strange words into my ear, and I fell asleep.

I had an interesting dream. I was a small child, and I was playing in some sort of a sandpit with two other girls. One of them told me that when we grew up, we'd go to Toudai together.

It was quite weird, as it ended up with me somehow running alongside a moving moving truck, saying I'd get there, or something.

But then the truck turned around, and somehow morphed into Kaolla-chan.

I woke up, suddenly, my eyes still full of sleep, and my thumb in my mouth. Weird huh?

Kaolla-chan was standing over me. I sat up.

"Kaolla-chan. I was just thinking about you."

She grabbed my hand, and sat on my lap. For someone who looked vaguely like a kid, she was pretty flirtatious.

"Keitaro. I love you."

Of course it would have had to have been her to do that, the first time.

But I was feeling sleepy. Really sleepy.

"I love you too. Can we go back to the room now? I'm completely drained."

Why was I drained? I had just been sleeping.

"Sure. But I want to introduce you to my friends first."

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_(Sakako's note: Yes! At last the next chapter is up, after me being away from writing fanfics in the holidays, and Kenji's still on hiatus, so it's up to me to write and write and write. However. A hint for the next chapter: Keitaro has some second thoughts…!)_


	7. Chapter 7

GRATUITOUS DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. Nor do you.  


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**Timepiece Phase VII: Action/Reaction (Su POV)**

It seemed as though my plan had not worked as easily as I had previously thought.

The trip home with Keitaro was no big deal. He decided to buy me a small gift from one of the many plush toy stores. A small appreciation, but sweet nevertheless.

We got home, and I managed to get back to my room unattended. We exited, hand in hand, and who did we run into, but Shinobu. Out of everyone living there, she was the easiest to trick. However, she also held the most memories about Keitaro.

"Hey Kaolla-san!"

"Ohayo gozaimasu!" I made a really happy face, just to put myself on show. I had to do this, and you know why.

"Who's this lovely boy you've obviously hooked yourself?"

"His name is Keitaro. As you can see, he's very attractive, and very loving."

Keitaro tightened his grip on my hand.

"I love Kaolla-chan very much. I'm so lucky to be with her. I don't deserve her."

He's so sweet, isn't he? He's still so naïve about the whole deal.

"That's so good for you Kaolla. I wish you two good luck in your relationship."

"Thankyou."

"Thankyou." Keitaro and I replied at the same time, and then bowed and took our leave.

That was so easy. She didn't remember him at all. I'm so happy.

Naru was next. I met her in the kitchen. Not hard at all. What happened was this:

She was cooking, which was the first strange thing. She was cooking sukiyaki for eight. Another strange thing. As I walked up behind her, ready to grab her from behind, she said,

"Sukiyaki. Don't bother me."

Hmm. What was this? Naru was in a bad mood.

"Aww, but Naru-senpai, I want you to meet my new boyfriend!"

I knew she would have turned around instantly, and she did.

"Boyfriend? Su?" She laughed. Looking at him closely, I swore I could have seen a look of suspiciousness on her face. "He looks familiar. Have I seen him before?"

"Maybe, walking around the street somewhere."

However, I could tell that Keitaro was getting fidgety. Obviously being around such an array of beautiful (and extremely talented) women was hard for him, being my boyfriend and all. So, Naru introduced herself, and we took our leave. After a small period of sitting on the couch in the living room awkwardly, we ran next into Otohime-san. (I call her –san because, even though she is possibly even more absent-minded than Keitaro himself, she is very sweet, and always has been nice to me.)

"Konnichi wa, Su-chan!"

She was so out of it. She didn't even notice Keitaro standing beside me.

"Hi! Mutsumi-san, meet my new boyfriend Keitaro!"

"Oh! Konnichi wa, Keitaro-kun! I hope you take good care of Su for me."

What a naïve girl.

Again, I never thought it would be too hard to take her memory. She hardly had any as it was. But it was the next two trials that were the hardest for me. The one who really had a knowledge of Keitaro, the one who could beat my cunning. Motoko. Kitsune.

They were the ones who I was really worried about, the ones who could ruin my whole plan. The memory jar was a bit more experimental than stable, and so if anything triggered the memory too much, the effects of the memories flooding back would be devastating.

What did this mean?

Definitely unconsciousness. Possibly coma. Less likely, death.

So, I had to make perfectly sure that something like that didn't happen.

I needed to make sure Motoko didn't have enough feelings for Keitaro that she would remember him.

I needed to make sure Kitsune didn't have enough cunning so that she tricked me, of all people!

So, I looked back at what had happened during my meetings with those two girls.

* * *

**Timepiece Phase VII: Action/Reaction (Kei POV)**

I met so many new people today. It was strange, though. I couldn't quite work out where, but I was pretty sure that I had seen them before somewhere…

Coming home, I decided to buy a chibi doll from a stall, as I wanted to show my love for Kaolla-chan. She liked it a lot, I thought.

When we got back to the place, I met a blue-haired girl who Kaolla-chan told me later was called Shinobu. Kaolla-chan even called me attractive, so I squeezed her hand silently, not wanting to lose face in front of this girl.

"I love Kaolla-chan very much. I'm so lucky to be with her. I don't deserve her."

"That's so good for you Kaolla. I wish you two good luck in your relationship."

And, as if on cue, we both said the same word together.

"Thankyou."

"Thankyou."

Also that afternoon, I met a nice although ill-tempered girl cooking dinner (called Naru), a girl who looked a bit vague (Mutsumi), a swordswoman (Motoko), and a fox-lady (called Kitsune, of all things). They were all very nice to me. I wondered if Kaolla-chan had had any previous boyfriends…

In fact, something was a bit weird when I met those last two. I felt as if they already knew me somehow… Especially for Kitsune – I could have sworn she had a glint in her eye when she said "Nice to meet you."

And so, I took Kaolla's hand once again and she led me back to her room. Why I was staying in her room is still quite a mystery to me (as it was a girls-only dorm) but I seemed to be doing alright. I was in a relationship, and I was happy.

We slept, and the days rolled by.

* * *

(Sakako's note: I am so sorry, you guys. I have been away from for so long. It's almost not funny anymore. But, I've started writing again, with the advent of my final year of schooling just around the corner, I need something to keep me from going crazy. And again, sorry for the short chapters. I just needed to get _something_ back onto the site. I don't even care if you don't review. Looking forward to the next year and a half with you guys. Oh, and keep wandering. ) 


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